The present invention relates to a chinstrap with jaw protection. In many sports in which contact with the player's head is likely, it is often the case that it is a requirement or option to wear a protective helmet. In most cases, when a protective helmet is worn, it also has a chin strap that extends from either side of the head around the chin in order to secure the helmet in place. In some sports such as football, lacrosse or hockey, in order to properly and consistently secure the chinstrap in place engaging the chin of the wearer, chinstraps with two or four-point attachment are employed. In essence, such chinstraps have one or two straps emanating from each side of a cup-like structure designed to envelop the chin of the wearer. In the case of four-point attachment, each of these straps extends in a slightly different direction from the others and there are four points of attachment on the helmet. In the case of the two-point strap, each of these straps extends in a similar direction and there are two points of attachment on the helmet. In most such applications, the attachments are by way of snap fasteners, although other attachment means may certainly be employed such as a cam buckle fastening system.
While the art of chinstraps is well-developed, it is also the case that protection of the jaw to either side of the cup-like member has not yet occurred to any significant degree. While some have claimed that the straps themselves afford some jaw protection, this is not actually the case because straps have not been designed specifically for that purpose.
As such, a need has developed for a fastening device for a helmet that incorporates both chin protection and jaw protection for the wearer. This is particularly important in activities where impacts to the face, chin or head can occur, for example, for lacrosse and football players. This is because, in football, it is possible for the hand (or fist), elbow, or helmet of another player to enter the area of the wearer's head between the lower edge of the face guard and the neck and cause damage whether inadvertently or intentionally. Similarly, in lacrosse helmets, while a jaw protecting structure is often provided at the bottom of the face mask, it is still possible for the jaw of the wearer to be impacted by any part of a lacrosse stick or by a lacrosse ball, causing severe injury. The present invention can be used with any protective headgear including but not limited to military, motorcycle, bicycle, construction and other sports. As such, it is with the need to resolve this important safety issue that the present invention was developed.
The following prior art is known to Applicants:
U.S. Pat. No. 649,896 to Baughman discloses a head bandage which includes a chin engaging member fastened to the head of the wearer by opposed straps. Baughman fails to teach the concept of protecting the jaw of the wearer and is solely concerned with bandaging and holding the jaw in a desired orientation.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,356 to Zide discloses a helmet chinstrap of the four-point attachment variety. Zide teaches a chin cup that is “quite stiff or rigid particularly at its center to provide maximum protection to the chin, and diminishes gradually in thickness and in rigidity toward its marginal edges which are of reduced thickness.” It is beyond those thinner areas where the jaw protection of the present invention is contemplated, and the thinning of the peripheral sides of the chin cup of Zide indicates a lack of attention to jaw protection.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,054 to Mattes discloses a chin cup for use with military headgear which also includes a four-point attachment system with double straps to either side of a chin cup. The chin cup does not extend beyond the area of the chin and the straps are not shown to be padded in any respect. In fact, they are disclosed as made of NYLON. Mattes also discloses a chin cup made of high density foam.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,737,777 to Hilleary discloses a helmet strap assembly having contoured support member which includes a strap 12 designed to extend at the throat area of the user. The strap of Hilleary is disclosed as crossing under the person's jaw and having a sleeve member designed to minimize chafing against the wearer's skin. However, as the Hilleary strap is intended to be used, well beneath and rearward of the chin of the user, it does not provide any protection for the jaw line of the wearer extending between the chin and toward the sides of a helmet worn by the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,274 to Kraemer discloses a chin protector on a 4-point chinstrap system, including inner and outer protectors separated by a suspension means. Kraemer does not contemplate use of webbing as does the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,081,932 to Kraemer discloses a chinstrap assembly for use with an athletic helmet that includes a four-point attachment system and a chin guard that extends for a short distance laterally to either side of the chin. These extended areas are intended to provide connecting portions to allow connection and adjustment of the straps. As the chin cup is disclosed as “relatively rigid,” and any padding intended for the chin cup is disclosed as comprising a foam insert, it is clear that the side extensions of the chin cup disclosed by Kraemer would not perform any protective function for the jaw of the wearer.
U.S. Published Application No. US 2010/0319109 to Field discloses a chin protector with an unillustrated “generally elastic compressible internal pad.” This document does not disclose the webbing of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,886,370 to Winningham discloses a protective chin pad and inertia displacement assembly for sporting helmets and method of construction thereof. The Winningham device has four-point attachment, but utilizes snap fasteners and rings to affix the straps to the chin cup. The chin cup is not disclosed as providing protection to any other facial structure other than the chin.